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“ICI” stands for “Ici Radio-Canada”

June 6, 2013,
Montreal

In the wake of the announcement that we would be adding the term ICI to designate all CBC/Radio-Canada French Services platforms in our marketing, I wanted to correct certain misperceptions that it involved a name change for the organization. It doesn’t. The organization is called Radio-Canada. On my new business card, and those of all my colleagues you will find the words “Ici Radio-Canada.” We are immensely proud of our name and its heritage.

Our mediascape is rapidly evolving, driven by the proliferation of TV specialty channels and the rise of digital platforms such as the web and mobile apps. Content is everywhere. Radio-Canada already offers four TV networks, two radio networks, and four digital platforms. Others will surely be added down the road. In order to fulfill our mission as Canada’s public broadcaster, we need to keep up the pace of change and ensure that Canadians know about the services we offer and how to find them.

In this context, adopting a simple, consistent brand identity – a common denominator for all Radio-Canada platforms – is necessary to ensure a strong place for the public broadcaster and its distinctive content, as well as reflect the full scope and variety of the vehicles it uses to serve audiences from coast to coast. Radio-Canada is making this change today with an eye to the future.

The French term ICI means "here", "now" and "in the moment" all in one. We have been using it in conjunction with Radio-Canada since the 1930’s. So the choice of the term ICI is inextricably linked to the fact that the Radio-Canada logo – the gem - is one of the country’s most universally recognized symbols. Research has conclusively found that ICI coupled with the gem is synonymous with “Radio-Canada” – that it’s a fresh, updated version of our familiar signature. So we will continue to use ICI with Radio-Canada but will now also use it with, for instance, our radio network, Espace Musique, which will now be branded ICI Musique; and our specialty tv channel ARTV will now be ICI ARTV. Radio-Canada doesn’t go away, ICI is added.

Change always generates a reaction. I’m not going to play down the extent of it. However, I’m confident that as the new identity begins to take shape on TV, radio and the web, there will be no doubt in the mind of French-speaking Canadians across the country that ICI stands for “Ici Radio-Canada.”